1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to individual wastewater treatment plants and more particularly to ones which are typically buried in the ground and have an inner clarifier unit, usually conical in shape and centrally located, supported within and by supports from the outer tank, and even more particularly to the supporting structure for the clarifier unit and the aeration piping of the plant within the tank.
2. Prior Art & General Background
Individual wastewater treatment systems for use in association with individual homes, businesses and the like are well known and accepted.
In an exemplary prior art system, which the present invention specifically improves upon, a cylindrically shaped concrete tank is buried in the ground, within which is concentrically supported an inverted, conically-shaped clarifier. The clarifier creates a relatively isolated, non-turbulent liquid area, from which the treated water is withdrawn by overflow from the top. In such a system the centrally located clarifier cone, typically made of fiberglass, has been supported by a series of coated metal clips, which in due course have corroded and failed well prior to the expected life of the other components. Additionally, the piping of the aeration system included along the periphery of the outer tank has been rather awkward in its design, requiring side-wall anchoring and supplemental fastenings. As a result the prior art system has not been as reliable as desirable, and requires a greater amount of labor and expense in installation and/or manufacture than is achieved in the present invention.
Other examples of various types of wastewater treatment systems or septic tanks or other types of systems are found in the following prior patents:
______________________________________ Patent No. Patentee(s) Issue Date ______________________________________ 1,692,446 J. Himmioff Nov 20, 1928 1,797,697 C. H. Ryman Mar 24, 1931 2,213,458 D. H. Buckley Sep 3, 1940 2,638,444 S. E. Kappe May 12, 1953 2,695,710 F. S. Gibbs Nov 30, 1954 2,987,187 D. W. Burgoon et al Jun 6, 1961 3,031,083 A. Schreiber Apr 24, 1962 3,057,796 C. Davis Oct 9, 1962 3,149,071 D. W. Burgoon et al Sep 15, 1964 3,153,682 J. D. Walker Oct 20, 1964 3,773,179 G. E. Hurst Nov 20, 1973 3,799,346 R. Freese Mar 26, 1974 3,804,255 R. E. Speese Apr 16, 1974 3,807,565 W. C. Langston et al Apr 30, 1974 3,826,376 A. L. Carlson et al Jul 30, 1974 3,875,066 J. H. Lind Apr 1, 1975 3,919,086 D. F. Peck et al Nov 11, 1975 3,923,656 J. R. Krebs et al Dec 2, 1975 3,936,381 J. Pacaud Feb 3, 1976 3,956,128 A. B. Turner May 11, 1976 4,002,561 C. E. Traverse Jan 11, 1977 4,054,524 S. Mackrle et al Oct 18, 1977 4,059,524 J. Chataigner Nov 22, 1977 4,066,722 J. J. Pietruszewski Jan 3, 1978 4,093,549 H. L Wilson Jun 6, 1978 4,097,380 K. Carlson Jun 27, 1978 4,132,643 A. O. Hellqvist Jan 2, 1979 4,259,182 R. E. Belveal Mar 31, 1981 4,259,185 J. A. Mixon Mar 31, 1981 4,337,152 J. F. Lynch Jun 29, 1982 4,341,630 S. Mackrle et al Jul 27, 1982 4,390,422 S. Mackrle, et al Jun 28, 1983 4,505,813 J. D. Graves Mar 19, 1985 4,585,556 V. Mackrle et al Apr 29, 1986 ______________________________________
However, none of these prior patents teach any significant structure with respect to the innovative support grid-structure for the clarifier unit and/or for the aeration piping sub-system of the present invention.
For example, in the Burgoon et al patent No. (3,149,071) and the Walker patent No. (3,152,682) the piping is apparently made of steel and is integrated into the concrete wall structure and/or bolted to the bottom of the tank. Mackrle et al No. (4,054,524) apparently suspends his aeration piping from above from the top of a horizontal, cylindrical tank; while Belveal No. (4,259,182) apparently suspends metal piping down in a water treatment apparatus. Note also in this regard the patents to Mixon No. (4,259,185) and to Lynch No. (4,337,152).